# FineReader vs Document Scanner · Scan to PDF

The clearest difference is monetization model: FineReader at free with in-app purchases against Document Scanner · Scan to PDF's subscription. FineReader also leads on ratings volume (19K vs 578) and review sentiment (71% vs 57%). Document Scanner · Scan to PDF's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. FineReader sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Document Scanner · Scan to PDF sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for FineReader against 4.8 for Document Scanner · Scan to PDF. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FineReader has 19K ratings behind it against 578, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 71% of FineReader's written reviews are positive against 57% of Document Scanner · Scan to PDF's.

FineReader ships an update monthly, Document Scanner · Scan to PDF every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FineReader | Document Scanner · Scan to PDF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/finereader-pdf-scanner-and-ocr/id534203582/reviews) | **[4.8 (578 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-scanner-scan-to-pdf/id1510323192/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 578 |
| Positive reviews | **70.9% of reviews** | 56.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 130 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ABBYY USA Software House Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/347345477) | [Lazy Solutions OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1780376754) |

## What reviewers say

### FineReader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/finereader-pdf-scanner-and-ocr/id534203582)

Transform your mobile device into a powerful scanner for documents and books. Extract text from images with advanced OCR technology, create editable digital copies, and share them easily. Organize and annotate your scanned files with intelligent features.

**Highlights:** Scan documents and books, Offline and online OCR, Extract text to TXT, Save as PDF and JPEG, Share to cloud storage, Annotate PDFs, Automatic document classification

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ARCHIVE Entry Premium monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Scan PDF and documents | $2.99 | per month |
| ARCHIVE Basic Premium monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| ARCHIVE-Advanced Premium month | $5.99 | per month |
| PDF Scanner + OCR | $5.99 | per month |
| FineScanner Premium monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| PDF Scanner | $9.99 | per year |
| Photo Scanning app | $20.99 | per year |
| FineScanner Premium yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| ARCHIVE  No Ads | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Quick scanning
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 📁 Efficient file management
- 🔑 Reliable OCR performance
- 💾 Convenient cloud integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Privacy concerns with cloud processing
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Inconsistent scanning quality
- 📄 Limited multi-page document handling

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes when switching between apps
- Unreliable auto-capture feature
- Issues with sending scans via email

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit scanned documents
- Support for multi-page PDF scanning
- Improved edge detection for curved documents
- Offline OCR processing option


### Document Scanner · Scan to PDF

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/document-scanner-scan-to-pdf/id1510323192)

Transform your mobile device into a portable scanner. Digitize documents quickly and easily, extract text with OCR, and create professional PDFs. Organize, edit, and securely share your files from anywhere.

**Highlights:** Fast, clear document scanning, Smart OCR text extraction, Convert to professional PDFs, Effortless file editing, Cloud sync integration, Secure files with passwords/biometrics, Easy sharing options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PDF Scanner Premium: weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| PDF Scanner Premium: monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| PDF Scanner Premium: monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| PDF Scanner Premium: yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner Premium: yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner Premium: yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner Premium: yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| PDF Scanner Premium | $49.99 | one-time |
| Gift premium for ScanIO | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🚀 Fast and efficient scanning
- 📄 High-quality document output
- 🎨 Modern design with smooth animations
- ⚡ Simple and straightforward operation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Requires paid subscription for basic features
- 🚫 Export/download blocked without payment
- ⚠️ Misleading free trial with hidden charges
- 🔐 Excessive permissions requested
- 📋 Poor document organization and sorting

**Reported bugs**

- Scans not saved properly
- Multi-page documents cut off or cropped incorrectly
- Cannot scan consecutive pages
- Export functionality fails
- Photo album access issues

**Requested features**

- Screen lock/brightness control during scanning
- Ability to re-scan individual pages
- German cloud provider integration
- iCloud synchronization support
- Custom folder structure with cloud sync


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FineReader free?

FineReader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Document Scanner · Scan to PDF free?

Document Scanner · Scan to PDF is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, FineReader or Document Scanner · Scan to PDF?

Document Scanner · Scan to PDF is rated higher. FineReader averages 4.7 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Document Scanner · Scan to PDF averages 4.8 from 578 ratings.

### Do FineReader or Document Scanner · Scan to PDF have ads?

Neither FineReader nor Document Scanner · Scan to PDF shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FineReader or Document Scanner · Scan to PDF?

FineReader ships an update monthly, and Document Scanner · Scan to PDF every 2 months. Most recently, FineReader was updated on September 25, 2026 and Document Scanner · Scan to PDF on September 26, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*